There’s no better way to celebrate Greek Easter than with kourabiedes! Even if you can’t run out to the bakery, these little gems are easy to make at home (and a fun activity for you and your family). Kourabiedesare spiced shortbread cookies studded with crunchy almonds and flavoured with brandy. Often served on holidays, they are a perfect sweet treat for family celebration.
Kourabiedes Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour (replace with all-purpose if unavailable)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup soft salted butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup confectioners sugar – divided
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Directions
- Sift the flours together in a medium bowl with baking powder – set aside.
- Whip the butter on medium speed for 20 minutes, gradually adding 1/2 cup confectioners sugar. Once the mixture turns light in colour, add the brandy, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and cloves. While 20 minutes may seem like a long time, this will make the kourabiedes nice and soft. The mix should be airy when finished.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the almonds. Be careful not to knock out all the air you worked so hard to beat in.
- Fold in the flour mixture until combined, then cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour. Chilling will make the kourabiedes dough less sticky and easier to shape.
- Preheat the oven to 325C.
- Place parchment paper over two cookie sheets stacked on top of one another (this will help to prevent burned bottoms).
- Shape level tablespoons into crescents and place them 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes – but watch carefully. Do not let the kourabiedes brown (easier said than done). I definitely browned a few…do as I say, not as I do.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Wait until the kourabiedes are only slightly warm before generously dusting them with the remaining sugar.
Serve with coffee or tea and if kourabiedes aren’t your thing, check out this recipe for chewy amaretti cookies!
Happy Easter! Καλό Πάσχα!
